Twitter refutes claims that it snoops on user private messages

Twitter has pushed back after the release of undercover videos in which Twitter employees – primarily senior network security engineer Clay Haynes – are depicted as saying that they “view everything” users post on their servers, including private messages and sexual photos, and that employees are more than happy to participate in a Department of Justice investigation into Donald Trump.

The videos were posted by Project Veritas, an independent media outlet known for doctored clips it promotes as exposés on mostly liberal organizations.

The videos look like they were recorded via hidden camera while Haynes shared drinks with members of Project Veritas. The outlet claims to have met with him multiple times.

In one video, Haynes said Twitter is…

More than happy to help the Department of Justice in their little investigation [by providing them with] every single tweet that [Trump] has posted, even the ones he’s deleted. Any direct messages, any mentions.

In another meeting, Haynes says that Twitter has the ability to disclose…

Every single message, every single tweet, whatever you log into, what profile pictures you upload.

Last Wednesday, in a statement to media outlets, Twitter pushed back hard against the notion that its employees monitor private user data – including direct messages – outside of when instructed to do so under subpoena or other valid legal requests:

We do not proactively review DMs. Period.

Twitter said that a “limited number of employees” have access to such information, for “legitimate work purposes,” and that it enforces “strict access protocols for those employees.”

Twitter only responds to valid legal requests and does not share any user information with law enforcement without such a request…

There’s nothing new, shocking or revelatory about any of this. Twitter’s privacy policies and terms of service clearly outline how it holds and stores the information that users choose to share, including direct messages. It’s had access to the content of DMs for years. That is, after all, how it’s been able to reach in to messages and shorten URLs.

We also reserve the right to access, read, preserve, and disclose any information as we reasonably believe is necessary to (i) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request.

James Barnley

I’m the editor of the DomainingAfrica. I write about internet and social media, focusing mainly on Domains. As a subscriber to my newsletter, you’ll get a lot of information on Domain Issues, ICANN, new gtld’s, Mobile technology and social media.